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School Parents Are More Likely Than Charter and Private School Parents to Be Satisfied with the Communication Around Reopening from Schools

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School Parents Are More Likely Than Charter and Private School Parents to Be Satisfied with the Communication Around Reopening from Schools EdChoice GEN POP NATIONAL POLLING PRESENTATION September 2020 EDCHOICE SEPTEMBER Most parents are at least somewhat comfortable sending their children to school, but POLLING PRESENTATION they still prefer virtual learning. Parents generally feel prepared to facilitate virtual learning, especially parents of younger students. Public school parents are more likely than charter and private school parents to be satisfied with the communication around reopening from schools. A slight majority of parents have either joined a learning pod or are looking to form one. Those with younger children, higher incomes, and living in urban areas are more likely to be participating in one. Those that are interested or participating in pods think they will help students stay up to speed and provide a safe environment for socialization. While, those against learning pods think they are unsafe, unnecessary, or too expensive. Over half of school parents are at least somewhat likely to seek out tutoring for their child/children outside of school hours this year. Parents that are very likely to seek out tutoring for their child/children have younger children, higher incomes and are living in urban Key Points areas. 4 School parents' favorability of homeschooling has remained high since the coronavirus outbreak began in March. While many students switched from home school to other school types for this upcoming school year, homeschooling still saw an increase in enrollment. Americans school type preferences have shifted since the outbreak to be more in favor of homeschooling when given the option, especially if cost and transportation are not factors. 5 Americans remain more likely to support school choice policies, including charter schools, once given information, especially non-parents and independents. However, school preferences continue to lean towards private and public-school options. Methodology (also see slides 54-55) This poll was conducted from September 11-17, 2020, among a national sample of 2,200 adults and an oversample of 700 school S L I D E / 2 parents. The interviews were conducted online and the data were weighted to approximate a target sample of adults and school parents based on age, race/ethnicity, gender, educational attainment, and region. NOTE: the school parent oversample data is not included in this month’s dashboard website data EDCHOICE SEPTEMBER POLLING PRESENTATION COVID-19 and Schooling 2 Opinions about K-12 Education Contents Awareness and Favorability of 3 School Choice Policies 4 Survey Profile and Demographics S L I D E / 3 A plurality of adults continue to feel most institutions’ responses to the EDCHOICE SEPTEMBER coronavirus outbreak have been average. POLLING PRESENTATION Based on what you have seen, read, or heard so far, how would you rate the following institutions on their response to the coronavirus (COVID- 19) outbreak? All Adults Excellent Above Average Average Below Average Poor Don't Know/ No Opinion Local, small businesses 16% 28% 33% 10% 4% 9% State government 16% 21% 27% 14% 15% 7% COVID-19 Response Local news media/organizations 15% 22% 31% 11% 13% 9% Rating School districts 15% 23% 31% 13% 9% 9% Schools 15% 23% 31% 14% 9% 10% National news media organizations 14% 19% 29% 12% 17% 8% Local government 14% 22% 33% 12% 11% 8% Federal government 13% 17% 23% 16% 24% 7% S L I D E / 4 National, multi-national corporations 11% 17% 34% 14% 10% 13% Overall disruption caused by the outbreak has continued to decline since its EDCHOICE SEPTEMBER peak in April, most notably for disruption to the community. POLLING PRESENTATION How disruptive has the coronavirus (also called COVID-19) been on each of the following? All Adults % Very Disruptive Your Community Your Family/Household Routine Your Personal Routine 60% 56% 50% 48% 48% 45% COVID-19 44% 38% 38% Disruption 40% 42% 35% 37% 36% 34% 32% 32% 30% 32% 32% 30% 29% 30% 30% 28% 20% 10% 0% S L I D E / 5 March April May June July August September School parents continue to be most concerned with their child/children getting EDCHOICE SEPTEMBER exposed to the coronavirus at school and their child/children missing POLLING PRESENTATION instruction time. Thinking about the coronavirus (COVID-19), how concerned are you about each of the following? School Parents Concerned (Very Concerned + Somewhat Concerned) Not Concerned (Not That Concerned + Not At All Concerned) 76% 74% -2 vs. -1 August vs. 66% August -3 61% vs. 57% COVID-19 August +0 vs. +0 53% August vs. -4 Concerns August vs. 43% August 36% 32% 29% 22% 19% My child getting exposed My child missing Cancellation of after Missing work if my Making up for free or Explaining coronavirus to coronavirus at school instruction time school activities or other child's school is closed reduced meals at home to my child S L I D E / 6 programs run through the school Note: The school parent subsample is weighted based on ACS benchmarks, starting in September 2020 A majority of school parents are at least somewhat comfortable with their EDCHOICE SEPTEMBER children returning to school. POLLING PRESENTATION Based on what you have seen, read, or heard about the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak so far, how comfortable are you with your child/children returning to school right now? School Parents Don’t Know / Very Comfortable Somewhat Comfortable Not That Comfortable Comfort with Not At All Comfortable No Opinion Children Returning to School 28% 30% 18% 20% 4% S L I D E / 7 School parents continue to have a more favorable view of homeschooling since EDCHOICE SEPTEMBER the coronavirus outbreak began in March… POLLING PRESENTATION How have your opinions on homeschooling changed as a result of the coronavirus? School Parents Much More Somewhat More Somewhat Less Much Less Don't Know/ Favorable Favorable Favorable Favorable No Opinion 14% COVID-19 5% Impact on 36% % Much More Favorable 43% Homeschooling 50% 40% 36% 40% 26% 28% 26% 30% 25% 11% 20% 10% 0% Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. 34% S L I D E / 8 Note: The school parent subsample is weighted based on ACS benchmarks, starting in September 2020 …And many say they’re likely to homeschool their children either full-time or part-time this school year as a result of the pandemic. Based on percentages, EDCHOICE SEPTEMBER POLLING PRESENTATION parents are likely conflating remote learning (via school) with conventional homeschooling. 'Homeschooling' is the education of a child mainly at home other than a school. It is usually conducted by a parent, tutor, or online teacher. Parents or guardians' control and direct the curriculum, content, and subject matter. As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, how likely are you to homeschool your child/children on your own this current school year, either part-time or full-time? School Parents Very Likely Somewhat Likely Full Time 45% 9% 54% Likelihood of Homeschooling Part Time 20% 7% 27% Not At All Likely 19% S L I D E / 9 If given the option, most school parents would opt for remote learning over their EDCHOICE SEPTEMBER children going physically back to school. POLLING PRESENTATION In the current school year, if your school or school district allows for the option of virtual learning instead of physically going back to school, how likely would you be to enroll your child in virtual/remote learning provided by the school or district? School Parents Very Likely Somewhat Likely Not That Likely Not At All Likely Don't Know/ No Opinion 6% 8% Likelihood of Remote Learning 12% Enrollment 47% 26% S L I D E / 10 Most school parents continue to feel at least somewhat prepared to facilitate EDCHOICE SEPTEMBER remote learning, especially those with children in grades K-4. POLLING PRESENTATION How prepared do you feel to facilitate online instruction (also known as virtual learning or remote learning)? Very prepared Somewhat prepared Not too prepared Not at all prepared Don't know/No opinion Total School Parents 39% 35% 14% 7% 4% Remote Learning Preparedness K-4 Parents 43% 34% 13% 5% 5% 5-8 Parents 35% 39% 13% 8% 4% 9-12 Parents 39% 35% 16% 6% 5% S L I D E / 11 School parents continue to be most supportive of school being conducted EDCHOICE SEPTEMBER completely online for the current school year. POLLING PRESENTATION Do you support or oppose the following school approaches to educating K-12 students in the current school year? School Parents Strongly Support Somewhat Support Somewhat Oppose Strongly Oppose Don't Know / No Opinion Completely online 38% 31% 14% 10% 6% Online, In- person, or Hybrid Completely in-person with required safety measures (for example: 31% 30% 14% 18% 6% Schooling masks, social distancing) Support Completely in-person with optional safety measures (for example: 28% 28% 15% 22% 6% masks, social distancing) Mix of in-person and online 26% 39% 16% 13% 7% S L I D E / 12 The majority of parents continue to prefer that schools provide multiple learning EDCHOICE SEPTEMBER options. POLLING PRESENTATION And, do you think schools should offer one approach to educating K-12 students in the fall or provide multiple learning options? School Parents Offer One Approach Provide Multiple Learning Options Don't Know / No Opinion 11% One or Multiple 24% Learning Options Preference 65% S L I D E / 13 School parents give their schools mixed ratings when it comes their EDCHOICE SEPTEMBER communications about education plans for this fall. POLLING PRESENTATION How satisfied or unsatisfied are you with the communication from your child's/children's school related to the coronavirus outbreak and education plans for the fall? School Parents Excellent Above Average Average Below Average Poor Don't Know/ No Opinion Reopening plan 28% 22% 27% 10% 8% 5% Satisfaction Access to teachers 27% 23% 31% 10% 5% 4% with School Quality of instruction 26% 24% 28% 10% 7% 5% Communication Technology, logistics of remote learning 26% 25% 28% 9% 6% 6% Communication from teachers 25% 27% 25% 13% 5% 5% Transportation logistics 22% 21% 26% 11% 6% 15% Communication from leadership 20% 29% 28% 11% 7% 5% S L I D E / 14 Different school types have excelled at various types of communications related EDCHOICE SEPTEMBER to the coronavirus outbreak.
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